In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, we, the inventors, typically hybridize a large number of nectarine, peach, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, which has been denominated varietally as "Summer Bright". The present variety was hybridized in 1981 by us in a cultivated area of our experimental orchard at Bradford Farms near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). It was the result of a second generation seedling of Red Diamond (U.S. Pat. No. P.P. 3,165) as the selected seed parent and an unnamed seedling as the selected pollen parent. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of nectarine tree, we asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects.
The fruit produced by the present variety most nearly resembles the fruit of Summer Diamond (U.S. Pat. No. P.P. 5,654) by being a nearly full red colored nectarine with excellent firmness, but is distinguished therefrom and an improvement thereon by harvesting 5 days earlier, by being a clingstone instead of a freestone, and by being much sweeter in flavor.
The present variety is similar to its selected seed grandparent, Red Diamond (U.S. Pat. No. P.P. 3,165), in fruit appearance by being a nearly full red colored nectarine with excellent firmness, but is distinguished therefrom by ripening 18 days later and by being a clingstone instead of a freestone.